The BreakUp
by Vera The Awesome
Summary: A few years later, the Aliea captains and Aphrodi get ready for Christmas. One problem, though... Burn and Gazel are at the verge of a break-up, and it's up to their friends to get them back together! Burn/Gazel, HiroMido and hints of Desarm/Hitomiko.
1. Bad news

**A/N: It's actually a complete coincidence that this story plays during Christmas. XD I came up with the idea, liked it enough to write out and then figured, "Hey, it's almost Christmas and this is a cheesy romance fic, why the hell not." I'm very happy I get to write about Desarm again, as he's actually one of my very favourite characters~ Even though he's with Hitomiko in this one, I can't manage to think up a complete fic that focuses on him because all of my fics are about romance and I imagine love is not the first thing on that guy's mind. XD **

**You'll quickly notice that I use Hiroto and Midorikawa's human names, but Burn, Gazel and Desarm's alien names. The reason for this is simply that that's how I know them. The names of these three were rapidly mentioned once or twice, while Hiroto and Midorikawa were addressed by their human names for an entire arc, so I got used to hearing those. I hope the name-swapping isn't too disturbing, I personally have no problem with it. As for Aphrodi... I don't think we heard his real name even once in the anime, so I'm sticking with his God name. XD **

**This chapter is pretty short as it's just the prologue, but I promise to update soon! Enjoy this new story and please leave a review, minna-san! (And as always, ignore the inaccuracies. OTL)**

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><p>Winter. The last holiday of the year had arrived, bringing with it a suitable amount of snow. As the flakes fluttered outside the window of his apartment, Hiroto managed to drag the artificial Christmas tree to an empty corner in the living room and set it straight up. The seventeen-year-old high school student hummed along with an English Christmas song that played on the radio and turned around when he heard his boyfriend enter the room with a box of Christmas ornaments.<p>

"The collection has grown once again," Midorikawa pointed out as he dropped the box next to the tree. He raised a light-hearted eyebrow at the other boy. "You never pass on sharing in the Christmas spirit, do you, Hiroto?"

"I don't see why I should," Hiroto smiled. "Christmas is a time of love and unity. I simply feel blessed that I get to celebrate it with my special one for the second time." He reached into the box and fished out a garland, which he then wrapped around his boyfriend's neck to pull him closer. "Let's make this Christmas a great experience too, Midorikawa," he whispered.

A small blush filled Midorikawa's cheeks as he pulled out of Hiroto's grip. "We should decorate the tree first," he reasoned, but his lips curved into a cheerful grin when Hiroto placed his hands on his back and dipped him gently, bending along. "I don't want a lot for Christmas – this is all I'm asking for," he sang along with the radio in an accent-filled, but correct English.

"Hiroto, come on," Midorikawa laughed, and he let out a small yelp when his boyfriend moved back up and pulled him into a dance, whirling to the rhythm of the song. "All I want for Christmas is you," he continued with a loving smile.

"Idiot, this room isn't big enough to dance!" Midorikawa protested, missing an innocent lamp by an inch as he clumsily tried to keep up with Hiroto's movements.

The redhead kept one hand on his back, the other entwined with his boyfriend's, until they reached the sofa, where he curved the two of them back again and let Midorikawa land on the couch. He grinned playfully as he rested on top, and Midorikawa grinned back.

"It's almost Christmas…" Hiroto whispered, and he brushed his fingertip from Midorikawa's right cheek to his left one, using his lips as the bridge. "It's a holiday, it's evening, and it's snowing out… we should make the best of our time off."

"Fine with me," Midorikawa answered, and he happily accepted Hiroto's lips when they softly pressed against his own. The two boys quickly sank into the kiss, closing their eyes and filling the gap between them. Just as Midorikawa wrapped his arms around Hiroto's neck and pulled him even closer, letting everything around them fade into a blur, the doorbell pierced through their moment and forced the couple to break the kiss.

"Who could that be, at this hour?" Hiroto wondered out loud, and he got up on his feet to go and greet their visitor. Midorikawa followed him and the two of them made for the front door of the apartment complex. When they opened up, they saw somebody they almost failed to recognize due to his figure being hidden under a big coat, a scarf, a tuque, and to top it off, an umbrella to shelter himself from the snow. What gave him away, though, were his distinctive blonde locks that the wind carried in a ponytail.

"Aphrodi," Hiroto raised his eyebrows in surprise and stepped aside to make way for their friend. "What brings you here?"

Aphrodi entered the building and folded his umbrella back. When he removed his tuque as well, both Hiroto and Midorikawa instantly noted the worry swimming in his scarlet eyes.

"I need your help. Suzuno and Nagumo have broken up."


	2. The plan

**A/N: Wow, six reviews for just the prologue! Thank you so much for your kind words, everyone, I'm so happy! -heart- Hope you enjoy this chapter too!**

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><p>Midorikawa emerged from the kitchen with a tray, carrying a hot cup of tea and a small bowl of sugar cubes. He placed it on the table in front of the arm chair, where Aphrodi was seated.<p>

"Thank you," Aphrodi nodded, and he mixed two sugar cubes in his tea before he started to blow the flavored water.

Midorikawa nodded back and went to sit next to Hiroto, who wrapped an arm around his shoulder as he fixed his eyes on their guest. "It must be pretty serious this time if they actually drove you out of the house," he remarked.

Aphrodi nodded once more. "You are aware that there's been some… tension between them lately, to put it lightly. It's gotten worse and worse, though." The blonde exhaled a sigh as he recalled various events between him and his flat mates. "They fight more often… and they shout. A lot. Even Suzuno raises his voice when Nagumo says something he doesn't like. Which is almost daily… I tried to talk to both of them, but they refuse to discuss the issue fully, and neither of them looks like they're ready to reconcile…"

"What happened tonight?" Midorikawa inquired.

Aphrodi took a careful sip of his tea before he answered. "It used to be verbal disputes… until now. They actually got in a fist fight. When I tried to break them apart, they pushed me away and called me… several things I would rather not repeat," he coughed. "Then they broke apart and retreated to their rooms. That's when I decided to come to you." Aphrodi looked at his friends with pleading eyes. "I need your help with this… They still love each other, I can tell. Everyone can. You know how tight these two have been for the past three years. They just refuse to admit it… But if this doesn't stop soon, things will go from bad to worse. Their grades have already started to falter, as well as mine, because none of us can concentrate on our studies when they're yelling at each other like that. You two have known them much longer than I have; I don't know who else to turn to."

Hiroto nodded, showing he understood. Ever since his friends got together one year before he and Midorikawa would, he had feared a moment like this would come. He agreed with Aphrodi that the affection they held for one another was readable on their faces, but so was their stubbornness, their endless pride. They were doomed to clash like this sooner or later. Burn and Gazel had gotten into arguments before, but they would usually resolve them peacefully, or at least as peacefully as those two could get. This time, though… they really did need help if they didn't want to put a definite end to their relationship. Which would be sure to tear them apart.

"Did they say they were breaking up?" Hiroto asked.

"Well… not exactly. I think," Aphrodi frowned hesitantly. "Right after they stopped fighting, Nagumo said: "I guess we're done", and Suzuno agreed with that."

"Well, at least they didn't say the actual words," Midorikawa sighed. Those two were so hopeless at times…

"He probably said it in the heat of the moment," Hiroto concluded. "Their strategy has always been to push and push back, until their argument ends one way or another…" He glanced at Aphrodi, who was now looking down as he drank his tea. He had rarely seen his friend this pessimistic before. He was usually one to come up with ten different ideas and exploit them all fully. He knew Aphrodi as the type of person who wouldn't give up at any rate… unless his two best friends threatened to destroy their relationship with each other, and with him.

"I'm sure we can help you," he reassured Aphrodi with a smile.

Midorikawa nodded in agreement. "We're all friends here, and friends are meant to help each other. Right?"

A hopeful smile lit up Aphrodi's face. "Thank you…!"

Hiroto glanced at his lap, one hand on his chin as he pondered aloud: "This is going to be a tough one, though… We need a solid plan. Just forcing those two in a room to let them talk it out won't solve the issue."

Aphrodi nodded in agreement. "Leaving them alone together would be the worst thing to do at this rate. I was thinking we speak to them separately, in a place they both feel comfortable… If we approach them in pairings, I doubt they'll feel like they can just leave the scene. We should get them to admit the problem to us, someone they can trust, first… before they do so to each other."

"I agree," Hiroto said. "They have to open up before we try to push them back together. I think it's only when their guard is down that they're willing to accept each other again."

"There's only the three of us, though," Midorikawa reminded the other two. "We need one more person if we want to approach them with two people."

Hiroto sent him a reassuring smile. "I know just who we need: the one person Burn and Gazel couldn't push out of their way with all their might if they tried." He took out his cell phone and dialed the number that connected him to Sun Garden. It was the current owner that picked up. "Hello?"

"Good evening, Nee-san," Hiroto greeted. "Is Saginuma home?"

"You have horrible timing," Hitomiko grumbled. "We're just about to put the kids to bed, and they're causing a ruckus. I'm assuming it's urgent so I'll call him, but keep it short, okay?"

"No problem," Hiroto replied, and he grinned when his sister called her fellow caretaker over by his first name. So those two had gotten closer as well…

After a moment, Desarm picked up the phone and mumbled: "You've got some awful timing, you know that?"

"Your girlfriend already said that," Hiroto smirked. "Glad to see you two are still so much on the same wavelength."

"T-that's…!" Desarm stuttered, taken aback. He had never actually confirmed that he was in a relationship with the older woman, but to Hiroto, it was clear as day.

"Anyway, Nee-san said to hurry, so I'll get to the point: we need your help in getting Burn and Gazel back together."

Desarm sighed. "They finally separated, huh?" Even to him, it was no surprise.

"Almost," Hiroto corrected him. "We don't want it to get any worse from here. We plan to talk to them separately, and we need someone to accompany Aphrodi. Would you—?"

"Aiko-chan! No, put tha—that's glue, put that down! Put it do—don't put it in your mouth! Excuse me for a moment." Desarm placed the receiver on a table and Hiroto listened how he tried to keep one of the younger orphans from eating glue for dessert. He blinked in surprise when he heard a girl cry and Hitomiko shout some scolding words. When Desarm returned to the phone, he inquired: "No luck?"

"I've been working here for years and some kids are _still _scared of me," Desarm sighed. "Hitomiko says it's because my face scares them."

Hiroto flashed a sympathetic smile. He could relate to both his friend and the orphans. "I'm sorry to hear that. Anyway, could you take some time off to help us with our problem?"

"I think so," Desarm answered. "I'll ask Hitomiko, one moment." He left a second time, and when he came back, Desarm sounded even gloomier than before. "She's not happy with it, but I got the time off. Is tomorrow okay?"

"That's perfect," Hiroto smiled. "We'll see you then." He hung up and looked at the two other boys. "He's in, he'll come over tomorrow." He glanced at Aphrodi, who had finished his tea while he was making the call. "Would you like to stay for the night?"

Aphrodi frowned doubtfully. "I'm not sure… They might break the house down if I'm not there. Then again, they supposedly "hate" each other, so they'll be trying to avoid one another."

"Sounds just like the good old times, huh?" Midorikawa muttered, recalling their not-so-pleasant time at Aliea Academy.

Hiroto smiled softly at those words before he answered Aphrodi: "I suggest you stay here. Tomorrow, when Desarm comes over as well, we'll decide on a definitive plan. We don't have a guest room, though…"

"I'm fine sleeping on the couch," Aphrodi said quickly. A few years ago, he would've settled for nothing less than a private room with a warm and comfy bed, but since he shared an apartment with two idiots, he had taught himself to make do with what he had.

Midorikawa nodded and got up. "I'll get you a spare blanket."

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><p>Aphrodi woke up to the noise of clinking and rustling. He opened his eyes and noticed the living room was fully illuminated by daylight. It was morning already… The blonde sat up with a tired yawn and glanced at the source of the noise, who was located in the corner of the room.<p>

Midorikawa paused decorating the Christmas tree when he heard a yawn and turned around to his guest. "Good morning," he smiled. "It's 9 in the morning. Hiroto is making breakfast."

Aphrodi nodded and rubbed some lingering sleep out of his left eye. "Can I use your hairbrush?" he asked wearily. "My hair is always a mess when I wake up…"

Midorikawa failed to suppress a grin. That was a serious understatement. "Sure," he replied, "you know where the bathroom is, right?"

Aphrodi nodded once more and took his clothes with him to the bathroom. He was currently dressed in one of Hiroto's pajamas, which were typically covered with different kinds of stars. The blonde made for the sink, where he found a hairbrush. Just as he picked it up, he noticed a glass containing two different toothbrushes: one red and one green. Aphrodi rolled his eyes with a smile and started combing out his hair. Those two weren't even adults yet and they already seemed like a married couple. Well, at least one out of two romantic pairings was doing fine… Aphrodi sighed while he struggled with a couple of knots. He wondered if his two best friends had spent the night as peacefully as he had. It pained him to see them fight like that; things were so much better when they got along as normal lovers. When they could actually laugh with each other, and walk hand in hand as the three of them went to school. Aphrodi tied his hair in a ponytail and sent his reflection a determined stare. He was going to set things right: Burn and Gazel belonged together, and their friends were going to make them see that.

Once Aphrodi considered himself presentable, he left the bathroom and entered the kitchen, where Hiroto served the finishing touches on the table. "You're just in time for breakfast," he winked.

"Thanks," Aphrodi smiled. The three of them sat down and were about to say a table prayer when the bell rang.

"That must be Desarm," Hiroto concluded. He got up and left the kitchen, only to return with the last member of the group. Desarm greeted his friends, gladly embracing the warmth of the house. "It's freezing outside," he complained, "and it still hasn't stopped snowing."

"Feel free to join us for breakfast," Hiroto suggested, but his tall friend shook his head. "I already ate, but thank you." Nevertheless, he took a seat at the table and patiently waited while his friends ate. He glanced at the item on the other side of the table and asked: "How've you two been?"

"Just fine, thank you," Hiroto smiled. "How about you and Nee-san?"

Desarm bit his lip. He was torn between denying the relationship and answering with the truth. "… fine," he eventually said, shyly. He decided now was a good moment to address the matter at hand and asked: "So, what's the plan?"

"About Suzuno and Nagumo?" Aphrodi said. He swallowed a bite of rice and filled Desarm in on the details before he answered the question: "We're planning to have a talk with each of them. We need to get to the bottom of this problem, and get those two face their true feelings."

"So which pair approaches whom?" Desarm inquired.

Midorikawa didn't hesitate to state his preference. "Me and Hiroto will talk to Gazel. How about you and Aphrodi take Burn?"

The other three grimaced, but agreed. As much as they liked the call the six of them friends, Midorikawa hadn't forgotten about the countless times Burn bullied him, and even to this day, the redhead appeared to think of the boy as a little less than himself. On top of that, he was quick to lash out at Hiroto as well. He had admitted he no longer resented him for his actions at Aliea Academy, but he still didn't like him for the "smug, self-indulgent jerk" he was.

Aphrodi took a look at the clock. "It's Saturday. Nagumo usually visits the arcade in the center of town on Saturday mornings." He shrugged and added: "He tried to get Suzuno to join him several times, but he's not big on games."

"What does he do on Saturdays, then?" Midorikawa asked.

"He tends to stay at home and watch TV or read a book," Aphrodi replied. "With this weather, though… it's plausible he's in the mood for skating on the lake."

"We'll check the lake first, then," Hiroto said. "And once we've got those two talking, we can bring them together."

"Let's make the lake the meeting place," Aphrodi suggested. "It isn't crowded this time of year, since all couples are preparing to celebrate Christmas, and we can keep an eye on them that way, just in case something goes wrong."

Hiroto nodded and got up to clear the table once he, Midorikawa and Aphrodi had finished breakfast. "Let's give it a try."

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><p><strong>AN: Next chapter: Gazel time! (Finally one half of the troubled couple appears. XD;) Leave a review if you like~!**


	3. Gazel

**A/N: Thank you so much for your kind reviews, everyone! They make me so happy! -chu- Enjoy the next chapter!**

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><p>Midorikawa sneezed and hid his face inside his scarf. "Desarm wasn't kidding about the weather," he grumbled.<p>

Hiroto flashed him a smile and gently squeezed his hand as the two of them walked their way to the lake. Snow was still falling, but the shower had toned down and the small flakes added little to the already present pile.

"The trick is to move as much as possible," the redhead pointed out. "It distracts your body from the cold."

"Sitting inside with a cup of hot choco distracts your body from the cold too," Midorikawa retorted with a pout. He perked up when his boyfriend suddenly stopped in his tracks and barely had time to blink before a kiss was stolen from his lips.

Hiroto pulled back after a few long seconds and sent him a loving grin, eyeing the blush that slowly appeared on his cheeks. "Better?"

"Y… yeah," Midorikawa stammered, and he lowered his head shyly. It was amazing how a kiss from Hiroto still managed to send his heart racing after two years. He carefully glanced around them, wanting to make sure no one had seen the kiss and was now staring at them. When the coast was clear, the boys continued walking and soon arrived at the lake. The water was frozen solid, and Aphrodi turned out to be right: on it was skating a single person, an adolescent with hair coloured just a little darker than the white snow. Gazel held his hands on his back as he flowed across the ice, seemingly lost in thought. The boy had always been a pro when it came to this sport, and in all these years, he hadn't lost one bit of his touch.

"Gazel!" Hiroto called out, and he smiled when Gazel heard his name and glanced up at him. The silver-haired boy seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then made his way to the couple. Hiroto and Midorikawa widened their eyes when they noticed it at the same time: their friend's left eye was beaten black.

"Holy cra-! Gazel, are you alright?" Midorikawa stammered.

Gazel stepped into the snow and raised an eyebrow, wondering what the boy was getting at, but then he understood. "Oh, this," he pointed at his bruised eye, "don't worry, I gave Burn one right back."

_That__'__s __not __a __good __solution! _Hiroto and Midorikawa sent each other an uncertain frown, almost sharing the same thoughts through eye contact. Neither of them had seen the pair in so much conflict before; it was almost tragic that they had fallen so deep from the point where they would fly around each other's neck and tease one another gently, just because that was their way of expressing their love.

Hiroto cleared his throat. "It's a good thing you mention him. We've actually come to talk about your relationship."

Gazel sent him a glare that made any further words unnecessary. "I don't wanna talk about it." When Hiroto opened his mouth, he added: "It's none of your business!" and was about to turn back to the ice when the redhead grabbed him by the wrist.

"It is our business, Gazel," Hiroto told him strictly. "Or at least it's Aphrodi's. Your fights cause him pain as well. And because we're all friends, it affects all of us."

"So he went to your place," Gazel muttered, to himself rather than to his friend. "I was wondering where he disappeared off to last night…"

"He came to us," Hiroto confirmed with a nod. "He asked for our help, to get you back together."

Gazel ripped his arm out of his grip and avoided eye contact. "I don't want to get back together," he answered bitterly. "It's over between us."

"You know as well as we do that's not true," Hiroto told him. "You still love him, Gazel."

Gazel narrowed his eyes in sharp stare. "Watch your words, _Gran_. You shouldn't recklessly tell others what they feel."

"It's not reckless, it's the truth," Midorikawa spoke up, determinedly. He had a tendency to defend or at least support his boyfriend when he felt he was being snarled at.

Gazel sent him the exact same stare. "I repeat: it's none of your business. Why don't you two go and be a be a jolly, happy couple yourselves. It's Christmas; do us all a favor and leave me alone."

Hiroto sighed when he heard a hint of jealousy in those words. That boy was madly in love, so much so that talking about other couples angered him to a surprising extent. "We can't celebrate Christmas in all comfort when we know you two are in pain, Gazel."

"I'm not in pain!" Gazel snapped. "I'm fine! Just go away!" Aphrodi's description was flawlessly accurate: the boy broke out of his shell and raised his voice in a way that seemed very unlike him. It was usually Burn who would lose his temper and shout whatever came up in his mind, while Gazel perfectly kept his cool and let the words bounce off him. This time, though, they clearly hit him like a slap in the face. The pain was visible in his teal eyes.

Hiroto exhaled another sigh and placed his hands on Gazel's shoulders. "Sit down," he told him in a friendly tone. He refused to obey Gazel's words when his friend harboured this much pain in his heart. He wasn't going to leave before he opened up to them and agreed to reconcile with Burn.

The other boy shot him a glare, but did as he said. The three of them sank down in the snow and glanced across the lake, none of them saying a word. Surprisingly, it was Gazel who broke the silence, and he looked at his lap while he did so. "… I… don't think getting back together is a good idea," he whispered.

Hiroto and Midorikawa conversed through telepathy once more – the translation of that sentence was, without a doubt: _"__I __want __to __get __back __together, __but __don__'__t __know __how.__"_

"Why not?" Hiroto inquired. He looked at his friend's face and saw it suddenly looked very fragile compared to a moment ago. His heartache was so strong that Gazel was already lowering his defenses. Assuming they were low enough for him not to lash out again, the redhead placed one hand back on Gazel's shoulder to comfort him. Instead of pulling away, as he usually did, Gazel frowned even deeper and bit his lip before he answered: "… Burn… hates me. And I can't stand how he's become either. He's suddenly so careless, and reckless… He's always been like that, but now, he barely shows that he… loves me. It only shines through when he becomes overly possessive out of nowhere. It's as if he thinks I'm ready to cheat on him with the first person I meet. Everytime we go out, he refuses to let go of my hand. It's like he's trying to show the world that I'm his, but as soon as we're home, he stops caring."

Hiroto and Midorikawa looked at him with sympathetic eyes. It didn't surprise them that such harsh behavior could hurt even the cold-blooded Gazel.

"Have you told him what you think of that?" Midorikawa asked.

Gazel nodded. "A few times… He first called me whiny, and he added "bitch" to that the second time. Whenever I brought it up after that, along with his childish answers, he just got angry. He said that I worry over nothing and that I "should just shut up"… I didn't let that fly, so I told him to stop being so immature. We've had this conversation a couple of times… The last one ended with him throwing a book at my head." When he saw his friends' shocked faces, Gazel quickly added: "He missed, though."

"Instead, he resorted to violence," Hiroto filled in the end of the story. When Gazel nodded, he said: "Gazel… I think Burn is… afraid, of losing you. When you tell him about your problems, he takes it as a sign that he's no longer the one you desire, or that you even want to end things. That's why he avoids the problem by telling you to shut up."

Gazel looked up at him, frowning. "But that doesn't solve anything…!"

Hiroto answered him with a serious expression and asked: "Do you love him, Gazel?"

Gazel blinked in surprise. "What?"

"I don't believe you hate him," Hiroto explained. "You can try to convince yourself of that all you want, but in truth, what you really want is to get back to the way things were, don't you?"

Gazel took a moment to answer that. He looked back at his lap and bit his now trembling lip once more. Hiroto's words reminded him of the past, of much better times when he and Burn were happy together. When it came down to it, he missed that side of his boyfriend so much that it made his chest hurt. He missed holding him, kissing him, just all around loving him, and being loved back without a care in the world. He wanted those moments back… but his belief that Burn no longer did was enough to send tears down his cheeks. Gazel lifted his knees, embraced them and sank his head into his arms. "… I-I still love him," he admitted. "It hurts… This all hurts… too much…"

Hiroto lowered his hand and gently brushed his friend's back. Midorikawa followed his example, sharing the sadness and pity he felt for Gazel. The two of them knew how hard it was to reduce him to tears, but if anyone could do it, it was Burn. Gazel loved him more than anything in the world, and in reality, he was scared to death of breaking up with him.

"Gazel…" Hiroto said slowly. "How would you feel about talking this out with him? Desarm and Aphrodi are trying to talk some sense into him as we speak, they'll make sure he won't attack you again."

Gazel looked at him, having little regard for how embarrassing his tears might be, and sniffed: "I-I don't think that'll work… He told me we were done last night… He's probably happy to be free from my "whining"."

Hiroto shook his head. "It's the exact opposite, Gazel. Didn't I tell you that he's scared of losing you? His words contradicting his actual thoughts is his entire purpose; he doesn't want to appear weak."

"But I'm his boyfriend," Gazel whispered. His voice reached a high, desperate note when he spoke that last word. "He shouldn't worry about things like that with me…"

"He's probably just ashamed," Hiroto explained. "He hates his own fear, and therefore refuses to express it. He gets especially defensive in front of you, because talking about it with you increases the chance of his fears coming true."

Gazel brushed away some of his tears and managed to send the lake a glare despite everything. "That idiot…"

His friends smiled a little at that classic remark and Midorikawa said: "How about it? Wouldn't it be great if you could celebrate Christmas with him normally?" He lifted an index finger towards the sky and winked: "You know, Earth has a saying that goes like this: "nothing ventured, nothing gained"."

Gazel nodded in agreement, not surprised to see Midorikawa's habit of spouting sayings on the right occasion was still present after a few years. Celebrating Christmas with Burn _would_ be great… He would be so happy if he could just spend evenings with him again the way they used to, cuddled up on the couch or studying together. If Hiroto said there was a shot at returning to those peaceful moments, he didn't need time to decide whether he would take it.

"… alright," Gazel said softly. He rubbed the last tears out of his eyes, which had started to light up with a little hope. "We can try…"

"Excellent," Hiroto smiled. "How's tonight sound? We'll arrange for a meeting here, and we'll stay nearby in case you need help."

Gazel nodded once more. "That's fine." He reached out for his shoes that he'd left in the snow and put them back on. Deciding he would sit with his friends just a little longer, Gazel managed a small smile and muttered: "Thanks, guys…"

Hiroto and Midorikawa sent him a reassuring smile back. "No problem."

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><p><strong>AN: Next chapter, you guessed it, Burn time! XD Hope you enjoyed it so far, minna-san!**


	4. Burn

**A/N: As always, thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, everyone! They always make me so happy, please keep telling me what you think! X3 -hugs- **

**I've re-read this chapter so often that I got kinda sick of it and lost sight of what phrases could be better and which were fine. x.x So if stuff seems off, I apologize. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy this chapter! **

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><p>"Come on, come on… YES! Aha!" Burn cheered when he gained a thousand extra points. He had been absorbed in one of his favourite arcade games for the past twenty minutes, and he wasn't planning on stopping. He was doing especially well today, and he greeted his luck with a big grin. The arcade was bright and warm, in contrast to the grey weather outside, and with a glass of coke at his side, he could go on for at least another hour. However, his fun was cut short when two figures materialized right behind him.<p>

"Hello, Nagumo," Aphrodi said, startling the other boy. Burn reached for his chest as he turned around, and he exhaled in relief when he saw who it was. "Oh, it's just you… Don't scare me like that."

"Nice to see you too," Desarm replied sarcastically. He folded his arms on his chest and said: "Is this what you waste your money on these days?"

"Don't lecture me, Desarm," Burn snapped. "Just because you take care of kids doesn't mean you can boss people around."

"Relax, we didn't come here to pick a fight," Aphrodi said.

"You didn't? Good." Burn turned away from his friends and was about to resume the game when Aphrodi continued: "We're here to talk about Suzuno." The redhead petrified for one split second, before he unfroze and focused on his game. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes, there is," Aphrodi insisted. He followed Desarm's example and crossed his arms firmly. "Look, you can struggle all you want; we're going to talk about this now. We don't mind sticking around, we'll even order a drink if you stall long enough."

"Tch." Burn gritted his teeth at those words and decided it was time to go home. He shut off the game and started walking away, not looking at his friends again. "I'm going home."

"Saginuma?" Aphrodi made his intention clear with a single smile at the taller boy.

Desarm rolled his eyes and caught up with Burn in a few, long steps. He wasn't sure if he was happy that his friends treated him as a bodyguard when they felt his physical strength came in handy. He grabbed Burn by the wrist, to which the shorter boy instantly started protesting.

"What the—Let me go, you idiot!" Burn tried to break free from Desarm's grip, but his resistance proved as futile as always. He had once resorted to ramming his fists against Desarm's chest when they were younger, but the boy appeared to be made of steel and never even budged for a second.

Aphrodi caught up with them and gave Burn the same smile he had given Desarm. "Let's talk, Nagumo."

"I don't want to talk about Gazel!" Burn snapped. "It's over between us – I hate that guy!"

Aphrodi raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. He reached into Burn's collar and tugged at a small, black cord that hung around his neck, making the other boy choke for a moment. "I'm sure you do; that's why you're still wearing the necklace he gave you."

"Let go!" Burn snatched the necklace back and hid it inside his coat. Gazel had given it to him a year ago, claiming the flame-shaped metal matched him perfectly. Burn was rarely seen without the necklace afterwards.

"You can't force me to talk to you," he hissed.

Desarm and Aphrodi shared a wary glance. That boy was as stubborn as always. Even when they made him stay with them, he still refused to surrender.

… that gave Aphrodi an idea. If Burn wasn't going to give in to their rules, they just had to play by his. "How about this?" he smiled again. "You and Saginuma play one of the games here. If you win, we'll leave you alone. If he wins, we're discussing this."

Burn and Desarm both gawked at him in a different form of surprise. Desarm was taken aback by the mention of his name, stammering "Why me?", while Burn had the sudden urge to laugh in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?" he snorted. He had never once seen Desarm play a videogame, let alone beat it.

"Just give it a try," Aphrodi smiled. "You never know what might happen."

"Pfft." Burn agreed with the offer, but only because he saw it as a chance to kick Desarm's butt. There was no way he was going to lose to him when it came to videogames. The three of them walked back to the machine he'd last used and Burn started the game again. While he adjusted the options to two players instead of one, he saw Desarm stare at the controls as if they'd been invented a century early. He smirked when the first level appeared on-screen and told him: "You use the red button to shoo—" Burn flinched when a blasting sound filled his ears and saw Desarm's character had managed to take down his in one blow. "Wha…?"

"Looks like we won," Aphrodi smiled matter-of-factly. He tapped Desarm on the shoulder, who looked at the other two with questioning eyes. He had just tried the buttons at random; did he actually win?

"That… that was dumb luck!" Burn sputtered, although the facts were impossible to overlook when even the game screen told him Player 2, meaning Desarm, had won.

"Luck or not, victory is ours. Keep your end of the bargain, Nagumo," Aphrodi reminded him. "It's time we had a talk."

Burn growled a curse under his breath and grabbed his coke before he followed the other two to a small café, which bordered on the arcade in the same building. The three of them found a free table and Desarm and Aphrodi ordered a drink of their own before they focused on Burn, who purposely avoided eye contact.

"Now…" Aphrodi started when he realized Burn wasn't going to talk. He folded his hands on the table and started: "About Suzuno…"

"I'm telling you, there's nothing to talk about ," Burn interrupted. "It's over between me and Gazel. I hate his guts and he hates mine."

"No, he doesn't. He loves you," Aphrodi answered in an urging tone.

Burn shot him a glare and snapped: "Are you speaking for him now?"

"Yes, I am. I apparently have to, seeing as your vision of him has lost complete touch with reality," Aphrodi snapped back.

Burn lifted his glass to take a sip, when he heard those words and immediately slammed it back on the table. "You picking a fight?"

"He already said we're not here to fight with you," Desarm pointed out before Aphrodi could throw another witty remark. "Burn, we're not here to bully you. We simply want to help resolve the problem between you and Gazel."

Were they just temporarily deaf when he said they _hated __each __other_? Burn glared to the side and muttered: "Even so… it's no use. That guy's changed too much."

Aphrodi raised his eyebrows. He was finally opening up. "What do you mean?"

"He's so… stubborn. Stuck-up. He takes things way too seriously." Burn looked at his friends and elaborated: "He keeps saying I'm "possessive", and that I don't care. That's bullshit, I never did anything to indicate that."

"Maybe he got the wrong impression when you threw a book at his face…" Aphrodi muttered sarcastically, and he sent the ceiling an innocent look when he felt Burn's narrowed eyes on him.

"I did that to shut him up. He keeps nagging and nagging and nagging! I could reassure him a hundred times, and he still finds shit to complain about it! I have my limits, you know!"

"We know, Nagumo," Aphrodi nodded. He was about to continue when the waitress arrived with his and Desarm's drinks. He thanked her with a smile angelic enough for her to blush and wait suspiciously long before she turned and left. The blonde then focused on Burn again and added: "But do you think violence will solve the issue?"

Burn leaned his chair back on two legs and crossed his arms. "Of course I don't…" he muttered. "But I don't know how to get that Gazel to calm down. It's almost like he's _looking_ for something to criticize me about; he can be such a woman."

Aphrodi and Desarm snorted into their drinks at the same time when they heard that remark. They quickly put their glasses down while telling themselves this was a serious matter, and that it wasn't the right time to laugh at Burn's choice of vocabulary.

"So you're saying that when Suzuno shares his feelings with you, your impulse is to reassure him? _Calmly_?" Aphrodi questioned.

Burn pouted before he answered. "… well… no…" he admitted quietly. "I tell him to leave it because everything is fine…"

"And there you have it," Aphrodi spread his arms emphatically. "That's not the right way to erase his worries, Nagumo. If anything, it just increases them, that's why he keeps asking."

"But I don't want to know his worries!" Burn blurted out, surprisingly loudly. "I don't want to hear them! He wants to talk to me because I did something wrong! What if he's changed his opinion on me? What if he's found someone else? What if I'm no longer the one he wants?"

"Now, Nagumo," Aphrodi started in a shushing manner, "I know—"

"Know? What the hell do you know? You know nothing about love!" Burn shouted. He abruptly got up from his chair and smacked his hands on the table, making it tremble. Aphrodi and Desarm could see fire rage in his eyes when he continued: "I hate how he's become! Always criticizing me, pointing out my _fucking _flaws! He's sick to death of me, I know it! I don't give a damn if I'm possessive; if he's getting tired of me, I might as well exploit the time we have left!"

"… Burn… you are an idiot."

Burn and Aphrodi both looked at Desarm, taken aback by his sudden words. His hands were crossed again and his eyes looked surprisingly angry. He didn't avert his gaze from the redhead when he continued: "You think you know about love? Then stop being so immature and actually _listen_ to Gazel. Listen to what he has to say. Jumping to conclusions, even violence, will only make things worse. Did he ever say he wants to break up with you? What if it's something totally different? What if he's scared that _you__'__ve_ changed, becoming so reckless out of nowhere? If Hi—… if someone I loved behaved like that, I'd wonder if they still loved me. You refuse to discuss the problem, Gazel gets worried, you think he wants to break it off when he talks to you and avoid the issue again – it's a vicious cycle. Love is all about honesty and receptivity. If you don't want to break it off, you better learn that lesson."

Burn had nothing to say. He slowly sank back in his chair, his mouth slightly open. He had never seen Desarm like this before, addressing the topic of love so knowingly. It was almost as if he was speaking from experience. He stared down at his lap, clenching his fists on his thighs. Why did it suddenly feel like this entire gap between him and Gazel was his fault? If what Desarm said was true, if he _was_ cowardly enough to hide his feelings from Gazel and avoid the issue with some tough words… he truly was an idiot.

"… I'm going home," Burn said softly. He emptied his glass in one last draught and got back up. He didn't look at either of his friends when he turned away, not wanting them to see the tears lingering in his eyes. They were strong enough to make the flames die out.

"What?" Aphrodi and Desarm quickly stood on their feet and followed him, but backed off when Burn's left arm nearly hit their faces.

"Leave me alone," he ordered angrily. "We're done talking."

"But—" Aphrodi sighed when Burn rounded again and hurried to the exit. He knew he wasn't going to talk a second time, even if they kept him here by force. "Great…" the blonde muttered, pressing two fingers against his forehead for a moment.

Desarm looked at him unsurely. "Was I wrong to say those things…?"

Aphrodi shook his head. "No. Your words had their effect on him, that's for sure. I think what you said broke him down and made him really think about it… which was what we wanted."

"But weren't we supposed to get them to meet—?" Desarm stopped talking when he heard a sudden melody arise from Aphrodi's coat pocket.

Aphrodi took out his cell phone and checked the screen to see who was calling. When he read Hiroto's name, he picked up. "Hello?"

"How's it going on your side?" Hiroto inquired. "It's been a while since we parted."

_Oh, __you __know, __held __him __by __force, __played __an __arcade __game, __flirted __with __a __waitress..._ Aphrodi swept that reply under the rug and said instead: "There's… a bit of a problem. We talked to him, but he left before we could suggest they meet at the lake. He seemed quite upset…"

"Crap, he did? Perhaps you could try again when you're both home," Hiroto suggested.

"I doubt that's possible," Aphrodi sighed. "The arcade is just one of the many places Nagumo visits on a Saturday. That day is his going out-day; I doubt he'll return to the apartment before tonight. He and Suzuno usually went to places together, but since there's this issue going on…"

"What? But we told Gazel that they're meeting tonight, here at the lake," Hiroto objected.

"Is he still there?"

"No, he went home a few minutes ago… He was on board with this plan; he even seemed to look forward to it. He wants nothing more than to reconcile."

Aphrodi frowned worriedly. "I don't know what will happen when I go home and tell him Nagumo won't show up… I doubt he'll take it well when I say he just walked out of the conversation about him."

"Wait just a moment," Hiroto said suddenly. His voice turned optimistic, as if to say not all hope was lost. "How does Burn finish his Saturday outings?"

Aphrodi put his free hand on his chin and replied: "He usually visits this ramen restaurant not far from here." The blonde could almost hear Hiroto smile at that answer.

"… I think we have a plan B."

* * *

><p>Burn finished his dinner with mustered courage. He usually considered the food at Rairaiken delicious, but ever since the owner had taken in a rather tall apprentice with purple, oddly shaped hair, the quality of several meals had considerably dropped. Just when he put the last portion in his mouth, filling his cheeks, said apprentice appeared in front of him and asked: "Well? How is it?"<p>

"Uh…" Burn chewed his food away while he tried not to let the boy's eyes intimidate him. He looked more like a gangster than anything; was he in the right place? "There's a lot of soy sauce in it… and I think the vegetables are a tad overcooked," he said carefully.

"Really? Damn," the boy muttered, and he flinched when the owner shouted "Tobitaka! No cursing at the customers!" from the back. "R-right, sorry!" he stammered at both his boss and Burn.

"No sweat," Burn assured him. He paid for his meal and left the restaurant. He frowned at the stinging cold that had been awaiting him and tightened his scarf, hiding the lower half of his face in the fabric. He had always been sensitive to cold, and now that the night sky had finished covering the city, making it even chillier, he looked forward to getting to his warm and cozy apartment.

Burn dug his hands in his pockets as he made his way through the snow. He kept his head down, thinking about the conversation he'd had with Aphrodi and Desarm. It had actually been on his mind all day. Burn felt guilty for being an insensitive bastard, and, more than anything, wished he hadn't said something as stupid as "I guess we're done." Were they done? Figuring Gazel would keel over before taking an idiot like him back, Burn was almost sure they were. The very thought of it was like a stab in the chest, and the fact that he was to blame caused another one right after. Burn squeezed his eyes shut when he felt tears force their way up again. He didn't want to cry... He had been an idiot, but he didn't want to cry… He didn't want the end of this relationship to hurt this much. He didn't want to remember holding Gazel in his arms, kissing his soft lips, ruffling his hair as he tossed him a teasing remark, and desire to get those moments back.

Burn was ripped out of his thoughts when something hard hit the back of his head. He let out a cry in pain and rubbed his hair. When he pulled his hand back, he saw the remains of a snowball. "What the…" The redhead turned around and spotted another redhead at a small distance. Hiroto was tossing a fresh snowball up and down in his hand and sent him one of those smirks Burn despised. He then noticed Midorikawa was present as well, partially hiding behind his boyfriend. He didn't look nearly as confident as his companion.

"Gran! What the hell, man! Do that again and—" Burn failed to dodge the second snowball, which would've hit him in the face if he didn't turn his head in the nick of time. He growled and felt his cheeks turn red with anger. "You _asshole_!" Burn reached down and grabbed a handful of snow, which he pressed into a decent snowball as he charged the two boys. "Now you've done it!"

Hiroto simply grinned before Midorikawa pulled him along and the couple dashed away. He ducked to evade Burn's attack and let out a laugh when Midorikawa whimpered: "Why do _we_ have to do this?"

"It'd be suspicious if Desarm and Aphrodi did, wouldn't it?" Hiroto answered. "I guess there's one good thing about Burn's resentment towards me: I can get him to chase me anywhere I want. Watch out!" He pushed Midorikawa's head down to make Burn's next snowball miss him by a hair. The two joined hands and made sure to stay ahead of Burn and his growing arsenal, leading him straight to a certain meeting spot.

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><p><strong>AN: Yup, there's a little Tobitaka cameo here! XD I love that kid just as much as the Aliea kiddies, but I never managed to come up with an idea for his own story. So when Aphrodi said Burn visits a ramen restaurant, I thought, "Why the hell not?" BD I hope you'll stick around for the last chapter! 83 -chu- (Yeah, I'm unintentionally continuing my personal cliché of having all of my non-one-shots end up with five chapters...)**

**Oh, and PS: I opened a Beta-reader profile recently. If you have an Ina11/Go story you'd like me to beta-read for you, I'll be happy to! :D Just send me a PM~**


	5. Reconciling

**A/N: I know I keep saying it and everything, but still, thank you guys so much for all your reviews. This story has officially the most reviews and it's not even finished yet, I'm really grateful for all of your support, thank you. -heart heart heart- To be honest, I'm even less satisfied with this chapter than the fourth. I actually changed the entire scene after Burn and Gazel yell at each other because it was cliché and overblown, but I'm not sure if I'm that much happier with this approach. Anyway, I did all I could; if you don't like how it came out, feel free to leave. Still, I hope you guys enjoy it nonetheless~**

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><p>Gazel stood at the lake, his hands in his pockets. In spite of the winter cold, the boy did fine without a scarf and gloves. His immunity against low temperatures had never faded over the years. He gazed across the frozen water, even though he couldn't see much because of the darkness. At least his sight wasn't being blurred by the snow; the shower had finally stopped.<p>

Gazel checked his watch with a small frown. Burn still wasn't here… It wasn't that late, barely past dinner time, but the longer he waited there idly, the more he feared Burn wouldn't show up at all. What was he even supposed to say if he did? Gazel wanted to see him, yes… but he had no idea what Burn would say to him. He hoped he wouldn't fly into a rage and aim for his other eye.

Gazel turned and looked at the street behind him, which was separated by a grass field that lay buried under the snow. He let out a sigh when he took in the Christmas decorations and lights, a cheerful tune playing somewhere, and most enviably: couples walking and smiling. He was supposed to be one of them, along with Burn… He truly hoped he would be. This year.

Gazel perked up when he suddenly heard a different noise and flinched when two familiar boys raced across the field, seemingly running for dear life. Were those two Hiroto and Midorikawa…? The pair disappeared behind a couple of bushes, which then started to rustle. Just as Gazel took a few steps forward, about to investigate, a third boy appeared. Gazel turned around and looked straight into the eyes of his boyfriend. His heart skipped a beat, and so did Burn's when he saw him.

"… Gazel," he breathed. He was panting like mad, apparently having run just as fast as Hiroto and Midorikawa. Wait… had he been chasing them? Was that how they lured him here? Gazel mentally facepalmed. Bunch of idiots… He looked up when Burn asked him: "What are you doing here?"

Gazel didn't know how to answer that. He preferred to evade the shame that came with "I've been waiting for you because I want you back." He had no idea if Burn felt the same way, and if he didn't, Gazel couldn't take the pain of hearing his rejection. He slowly glanced to the side and mumbled: "I don't think it's really your business anymore where I go, is it?"

Burn gave him an angry look. "Is that any way to greet your boyfriend?"

"You're not my boyfriend. We split up. _You_ split us up," Gazel reminded him spitefully. His words were bitter and filled with pain, something Burn instantly picked up.

"… I didn't… I mean, I just said that in the heat of the moment," he said awkwardly.

"Don't try to justify your actions, Burn," Gazel snarled. He regained eye contact, determined to have his say. He was going to throw out everything he felt, without letting Burn interrupt him this time. He raised his voice when he continued: "You insulted me, multiple times. You brushed me off, and yelled at me, and you _fucking_ punched me in the eye!"

"Only because you wouldn't shut the fuck up!" Burn yelled back. His hesitance had completely vanished to make way for an emotion he was all too familiar with: anger. Like hell was he going to let Gazel talk to him like that. "You couldn't go a single day without acting like a bratty little princess, always having something to complain about!"

"I complain because you've turned into a heartless asshole!" Gazel retorted. "You suddenly act like I'm your possession rather than your boyfriend! How do you think that makes me feel? Dismissing me like I'm a piece of trash!"

"What the hell am I supposed to do then?" Burn screamed. "It's your fault if you want changes in this relationship, Gazel! I've always been myself!"

"No, you haven't! You act like you don't give a shit anymore! Which you don't! Otherwise you wouldn't have suggested we break up!" Gazel reasoned. He nearly lost his voice when he added: "You're an insensitive, childish, uncaring bastard!"

"What was that?" Burn stomped to the other boy and grabbed him by the collar. He actually managed to lift him off the ground, but Gazel appeared unimpressed by his strength. He just stared at Burn with narrowed eyes, his irises filled with a darkness so cold it could kill.

"… what? What are you gonna do? Are you going to punch me, Burn? Just like last time?"

Burn gritted his teeth at Gazel's well-known wittiness. He had once again resorted to a physical intervention in the heat of the moment, and for one split second, Gazel's words really did urge him to lift his fist and teach him and his all-knowing attitude a lesson. But it was then that he remembered what good that move did last time, and he slowly let the other boy sink back in the snow. Once Gazel touched the ground, he put his hands in his pockets and glanced to the side, just like Burn.

An uneasy silence fell over them as the boys trailed off in thought, each having their own impression about the situation. Gazel was actually surprised that Burn hadn't gone through with hitting him, in spite of his provocative words. Even though he knew he wanted nothing more than to reconcile with him, Gazel's endless pride had once again gotten in the way, something he was inwardly beating himself up for. Burn was doing the same thing, albeit for his reckless behavior. He, too, had felt too proud to just let Gazel's accusations run him over, and he had almost let his anger get the best of him a second time. He was sure Gazel would've wanted to definitely end it after that dangerous action, but to his surprise, his boyfriend said nothing, nor did he walk away. Both boys considered the fact that the other was still right in front of them, and wondered if they were allowed to cherish a little bit of hope because of that.

Gazel eventually perked up when he thought he heard a small "brr" escape from Burn's mouth. He saw how he dug his hands deeper into his pockets and hid his face behind his scarf as much as he could. Regardless of their more than awkward position, Gazel couldn't help but grin at the familiar sight.

"Still allergic to cold, Burn?" he said softly, a playful tone in his voice.

"Oh, shut up," Burn retorted, but a similar tone was present in his answer, showing his tension was fading as well. When the two regained eye contact, their expressions both softened up. Burn and Gazel felt like a weight had been lifted off their chests after shouting out their feelings, even if they were nothing but hurtful accusations. Unlike all previous times, when they felt defending themselves and only constricting themselves further was the only solution, they were now prepared to open up to one another and aim for the most important goal: recovering their relationship.

Burn suddenly moved closer again, but unlike a moment ago, his approach was slow and calm. When Gazel saw the tender look in his eyes, he lost reason to move away and didn't resist when Burn placed a hand on his cheek. Remembering it was gloved, though, the redhead quickly pulled back and removed the piece of garment before he lifted his hand again. His touch was warm due to the lack of contact with the chilly open air, and Gazel felt another uncontrollable smile spread on his face when Burn gently brushed his fingers across his cheek. Not only was his touch warm, it was also pleasantly familiar.

Burn thought he actually felt something jump inside his chest at the sight of that smile. It had been a long time since he'd seen Gazel smile so warmly, so sincerely. The fact that it did away with those dreadful thoughts of Gazel no longer wanting him back made Burn even happier. After dropping the second glove in the snow, he placed his left hand on Gazel's other cheek, holding his face in a soft grasp.

"It's been a long time…" Gazel whispered, unknowingly voicing his thoughts.

Burn flashed a modest smile of his own and nodded in agreement. "I know…" He carefully continued to fill the gap, bit by bit. Gazel's smile dropped in slight surprise, but he stayed in place and actually encouraged Burn when he realized what the redhead intended to do. He closed his eyes and puckered his lips right before they were touched by Burn's, gently and prudently. The very moment he realized Burn was actually kissing him again after an endless series of arguments, Gazel felt a spark of sheer happiness race through his body, and he eagerly deepened the lip lock when Burn didn't pull back. Encouraged by this action, Burn slid his hands further back and wrapped his arms around Gazel's neck. Gazel returned the embrace just as tightly, clutching onto the fabric of his coat. They had missed this, so much… These moments when they could share their mutual affection without a single care, touching and kissing each other like it was the most natural thing in the world. Burn and Gazel could barely believe that they were finally experiencing it again, having been through quite a bit of painful moments together. Burn eventually pulled out of the kiss, determined to put an end to that chapter of their relationship. He realized, admittedly with a little help, that the best way to solve an argument was simply by opening up. And so he did.

"… Gazel… I'm sorry…" he whispered, and he lowered his head as he spoke. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk… It wasn't that I didn't care – I was just… scared. I was really scared of losing you. I didn't want you to come up to me and say you've gotten tired of me, or that you've found someone else…"

Once again, Gazel responded with a bright smile. It was a surprise to hear Burn speak such vulnerable words, but it was because of the rare sight that he knew how much they meant. Burn was finally being honest with him, finally toning down his worries, and actually love him only more for the silly thoughts he was voicing. He was happy… so happy, and relieved, that Burn loved him that much. "You idiot…" he scolded gently, and he reached out to touch Burn's cheek with his own hand. "Why would I ever want someone else…? Just… don't hold back in front of me. It's really frustrating."

"Point taken," Burn answered, beaming an innocent grin. He also had a nearly uncontrollable happiness building inside of him, just hearing those reassuring words from Gazel's lips. He raised his head and nuzzled their noses together, adding: "I promise I won't hide my feelings from you again."

"And don't hit me either," Gazel added quickly.

"And I won't hit you either," Burn repeated obediently. "As long as you don't worry so much. Gazel, I don't want you to doubt that I love you… No matter how much of an idiot I can be, that's one thing that will never change."

"I know… I know that now," Gazel nodded, smiling. "I'm sorry for complaining so much."

"It doesn't matter," Burn reassured him. "None of it does anymore…" He ended the last few words in a whisper before he closed in on Gazel again, and the couple met in another intense kiss. Just like before, they embraced each other like their life depended on it, venting their cropped up passion for one another by deepening the kiss more and more. Eventually, though, Gazel felt Burn's weight overthrow his and he lost his balance, throwing them into the snow. Burn pulled out of the lip lock when he landed on top and flashed a playful grin, which Gazel returned. "You idiot…" he whispered, before he grabbed his boyfriend by the cheeks and resumed the kiss. Burn happily gave in and shut his eyes, merely enjoying the firm grip Gazel held on him. Neither of them cared if people were looking, or even what was happening around them. All they focused on was each other; it was almost like they were trying to make up for all the times they'd been fighting, while they actually could've spent their time much more wisely. From now on, they were going to… they were definitely going to.

Hiroto, Midorikawa, Desarm and Aphrodi watched the couple quietly, having remained in the bushes the entire time. While the other three grinned widely, satisfied with the result of their hard work, Midorikawa blushed and whispered: "Have those two no shame? They're in public!"

Aphrodi chuckled at that remark. "You have a point there." He eventually got up on his feet and waited for the others to follow him before he approached the couple, clapping his hands a few times. "Congratulations."

Burn and Gazel broke apart when they heard his voice and looked up, only to see their other friends appear in sight as well. They figured they should probably get up and did so, brushing themselves off with an equally deep blush. "Thanks…" they muttered shyly.

"Thanks for everything," Gazel added. He wasn't keen on voicing it, but it was thanks to such caring friends that he and Burn had managed to resolve their issues. He knew it, and he felt grateful, but he would make sure the two of them would be able to solve any future problems by themselves. Luckily, Burn was thinking the exact same way.

"You're welcome," Hiroto smiled. "It's great to see you back together. I'm guessing you two think the same thing, regarding that… interesting kiss from before."

The couple shot him a similar glare and then looked at each other, the blush on their cheeks darkening. Hiroto didn't _have_ to rub in that he and the others had witnessed every single moment of their conversation. They regained eye contact with him and told him "Shut up" at the exact time, making the other boy chuckle.

"Alright, alright." Hiroto took a look at his watch and added: "How about we all go for a drink? We'll all freeze at this rate, staying out in the snow for so long."

"Sure," Burn agreed, "but just one more thing before we do that." Everyone, including, Gazel, sent him a confused look when he bent through his knees and started scooping up snow. It was when he got back up and flashed a devious smirk that Hiroto realized what he was planning, and he made a run for it. He snickered when Burn's snowball hit his neck, and Burn snickered along, until a second snowball suddenly flew into his face.

"I've always wanted to do that!" Midorikawa chimed, causing the others to laugh as well.

"Oh yeah?" Burn grinned and quickly made another snowball. He started running after Midorikawa when he zoomed to hide behind his boyfriend, and Gazel, Desarm and Aphrodi soon joined in on a snowball fight. Laughing and playing without a care in the world, the boys would take another hour before they got home, freezing under a layer of snow and not regretting it one bit.

* * *

><p>A few days later, Hiroto awoke when the morning sun broke through the clouds. He turned to his left to check the clock on his nightstand and saw it was a little past 10. It was December 25th; he and Midorikawa had spent the preceding evening dining in a fancy restaurant and taking a romantic walk in the snow. Hiroto then turned to his right and met the serene face of his boyfriend, who was sleeping on his stomach. Both of them had disposed of their tops, in spite of the unfitting weather.<p>

Smiling tenderly, Hiroto scooted closer to the green-haired boy and wrapped one arm around him. This caused Midorikawa to wake up not much later, and he smiled just as brightly when he opened his eyes and looked into Hiroto's.

"Good morning… and Merry Christmas, Midorikawa," Hiroto whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Hiroto," Midorikawa whispered back, and he leaned in for a morning kiss.

The couple got up after an extensive cuddling session and went downstairs for breakfast. Around 11, the boys cleared the table and Midorikawa muttered: "I wonder if Burn and Gazel had a good time."

"Why don't we ask?" Hiroto suggested with a wink. "They must be awake now, right?" He and his friends all knew Burn was the one to sleep in at any given time, but on the morning following a night they might have spent staying awake until 3 am, it was possible both boys were still asleep.

Hiroto tried his luck and dialed the number of the early bird's cell phone. He smiled when Gazel picked up after a few rings, although his expression dropped when Gazel greeted him with: "Your timing's become terrible, Gran." Hiroto raised his eyebrows; was he just the king of bad timing? He was about to ask for an explanation when it literally passed by the kitchen window. Burn rode his bike through the snow with Gazel on the back and a plastic bag around his wrist. The silver-haired boy waved shortly at their friends, using the hand that was holding his phone. The other one was tightly wrapped around Burn's waist to keep him from falling.

While Midorikawa waved back in an awkward gesture, Hiroto snickered and said: "What are you guys doing?"

"We snuck out to buy a cake," Gazel answered. "It's an apology to Aphrodi for treating him badly when me and Burn fought."

"That's awfully thoughtful of you," Hiroto grinned, leaning on the counter. "Had an enjoyable Christmas Eve? I'm assuming things are fine between you two again."

"They're great," Gazel confirmed. His voice gave away that he was smiling. "We went to see a movie and had dinner in this really great restaurant. It's just like how it used to be."

"Except that my bike needs some serious inflation," Burn added in the distance, and by the slipping and yelling noises that followed, Hiroto guessed they'd only just managed to avoid face planting in the snow. He snickered once more when Gazel snapped: "Keep that thing straight!" and Burn answered: "I am, you idiot! You wanna take over?"

Just when he was about to express his happiness towards the bickering couple, Hiroto heard a peeping tone that told him a third person was calling. He quickly checked the phone screen and added the caller to the conversation when he saw it was Desarm.

"Good morning," Desarm greeted them. "And Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Desarm," Hiroto and Gazel replied in sync, and the redhead added: "Had a good time?"

Desarm answered with a yes, even though he left out the fact that he'd spent Christmas Eve with his own loved one. Their night had been one of the calmest: they both had their hands full on getting the kids to sleep, seeing as all little orphans were more than psyched in sharing the Christmas spirit. After sending them to bed, Desarm and Hitomiko barely had any strength left and simply spent the rest of their time watching a movie, cuddled up on the couch. Considering Desarm's shyness in front of the woman he so deeply admired, he was more than happy with their simple, yet heart-warming private moment.

The three boys continued their chat for a few more minutes, Midorikawa jumping in to say hi as well, until Gazel announced he and Burn were home and everyone hung up. After Burn put away the bike, the couple locked hands and hurried into the apartment, eager to give their present to Aphrodi. They found the blonde in the living room, reading a book by the fireplace. He looked up when he heard the door open and smiled at his friends. "There you are." Aphrodi took off his reading glasses and inquired: "Where've you two been? You disappeared after breakfast."

"We've got a little something for you," Burn grinned, and he revealed the strawberry cake. When Aphrodi widened his eyes in surprise, Gazel explained with a smile: "For putting up with us."

Aphrodi chuckled at that remark and grinned: "Someone has to." He then got up from the couch and approached his friends, wrapping an arm around them each. "Thank you both," he smiled. Burn and Gazel smiled back and returned the hug twice as tightly. "You're welcome, Aphrodi."

A few minutes later, the trio gathered together around the living room table, each with a piece of cake in their lap. This year was the first Christmas they spent with the three of them, rather than Aphrodi leaving Burn and Gazel to celebrate together while he filled the time off on his own. More than happy to see the couple back to how he treasured them, Aphrodi threw his drink high up along with his friends, a big smile shining on all of their faces.

"KANPAI!"

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><p><strong>AN: So yeah, that was it! I truly hope it wasn't a let-down for you guys. If there's anyone who doesn't like this chapter because there isn't enough fanservice - don't worry, I shut off my brain for the Chaos fic I'm writing right now. XD Yeeeah, this one will be rated M, hoho~ Anyway, thank you all for sticking with me through another story and see you next time! -chu-**


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